Pneumatic-despatch-tube apparatus.



W. BIXBY. PNEUMATIC DESPAT'CH TUBE APPARATUS. APPLICATION man nEc.2. 1914.

. 1,236,668.. Patentemug. 14,1917.

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PNEUMATIC DESPATCH TUBE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 2. I9I4.-

Patented Aug'. 14, 1917.

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WALTER BIXBY, OF DORCI-IESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE LAIVISON COM- PANY, 0F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

PNEUMATIC-DESPATGH-TUBE APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 14, 1917..

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, vWALTER BIXBY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dorchester, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic- DespatcheTube Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

rIhis invention relates to pneumatic despatch tube apparatus and more particularly to apparatus of this description wherein pressure is used to transmit carriers in either direction between two stations.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide improved terminals for systems of this description; which terminals co-act with the transmission tubing and other parts of the apparatus in a novel manner to the end that power may be saved while carriers may be promptly despatched in either direction through the system, according to the terminal in use.

Another object of the invention is to effect an economy in the number, or rather in the variety of parts which have been heretofore required to be carried inrstock, or to be made, to meet the diverse conditions encountered in practice. The foregoing and other objects of my invention will be hereinafter more fully described and the novel elements and combinations of elements whereby the various objects may be attained will be more especially pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof and in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, I have eXemplied a preferred form of my invention; but as I am aware of various changes and modifications which may be made herein without departing from the spirit of the invention, I desire to be limited only by the scope of said claims.

Referring to the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a pneumatic despatch tube system which embodies my improvements.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of the lower of the two terminals shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a vertical median section, taken in the plane of the paper, of the upper of the said two terminals.

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line IV-IV of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line V-V of said Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line VI-VI of Fig. 8.

Fig. 7 is a detail section taken on line VII-VII of Figs. 5 and 9.

Fig. 7a is a detail section taken on line VIIi--VIIa of Fig. 7.

Fig. 8 is a vertical, somewhat irregular section; taken on line VIII-VIII of Figs. 3 and 4; the Zig-zag dash and dot line in said figures indicating the course of the section; and

Fig. 9 is a similar section, taken on lines IX-IX of Figs. 8 and 4; the element 19 being omitted.

Referring primarily to Figs. 1 and 3 and having in mind the details shown in the various sections in Figs. 4, 5, etc., the transmission tubing 1 is adapted for the transmission of carriers 2 therethrough in either direction.

At the upper extremity of the tube 1 is a terminal broadly designated 3 provided with an arcuate chute 4 around which a carrier may be delivered to the basket 5 or other `receptacle. These carriers are despatched from a terminal 6 and the pressure for their transmission is created by means of a motor 7 which drives a blower 8; the compressed air being delivered to a pressure drum 9 from whence the pressure fluid escapes, when permitted, via a pipe or tube 10, either to the terminal 6 through a pipe 11 or to the terminal 3, through a pipe 12, according to the disposition of the respective valves in the terminals 3 and 6.

The carriers being delivered toward the latter terminal may pass through. an ab breviated chute 13 and the direction of the air current through the tube 1 is preferably controlled manually by driving in one or the other of the buttons 14 or 14 of the respective terminals.

Considering first the disposition of parts in the terminal 3, as best shown in Fig. 3,

the escape of air from the tube 12 is controlled by the double valve arrangement the parts of which are shown in said figure 1n their normal positions.

Herein a valve 15 prevents the escape of air from the pipe 12 until a second valve 16 has been fully seated.

Valve 15 is pivotally mounted upon a pin 17 and a light spring 18 tends to hold it against its seat. The valve is preferably provided with the usual leather face 15 and for compactness of construction may be arched as shown to receive one extremity of a link 19 which together with a second link 20 provides an operating toggle for valves 15 and 16. Link 19 may be pivotally connected to valve 15 by means of a pin 21 w and a pin 22 joins said link to the link 20 above referred to.

The latter link is connected at 23 to the valve 16 which als may have a leather face 16 and which is pivoted at 24 to the valve casing, or rather to the base of the chute 4 which is secured to this casing in any suitable manner as by means of screws 25.

The extremity of the link 2O is preferably bifurcated, as shown in Fig. 8, as is also they corresponding end of link 19; a roller 26 being mounted upon pin 22 between the forked ends of link 19; said roller being adapted for engagement with a surface 27 of an operating yoke 27.

The link 19 is preferably provided with means for adjusting the length thereof, such as the screw connection 19 which constitutes a part of this length, which permits of a less degree of accuracy in the drilling of holes for the reception of pins 21, 23, etc. Screw connection 19 also permits of regulation of' the flow of air.

rThe yoke 27 depends from a rod 28 to which it may be pinned or otherwise secured, as shown in Fig. 8; and this rod 28 in turn has secured thereto a piston 29 which rides in a cylindrical chamber 30, preferably disposed above the valves 15 and 16. Rubber bumpers 31 and 32 are preferably used to limit the stroke of this piston,

the rod 28 extending upwardly through the head; 3'3 of the cylinder and having a head or handle 34 upon its upper extremity for the purpose hereinafter indicated.

Communicating with the upper end of the chamber 30 are two conduits 35 and 36 best shown in Figs. 4, 8 and 9, and one of these, namely-conduit 35, is placed in or out of communication with a pressure fluid supplying conduit 37; best shown in Figs. 5 and 7, in accordance with the disposition of cylindrical. valve 38.

rlhere are also two short conduits 39 and 40 in the lower end of the cylinder in which rides the piston 29 and one of these, namely, conduit 39 is correspondingly placed in or ont of communication with said conduit 37,

in accordance with the disposition of the valve 38.

The disposition of ports in this cylindrical valve will best be understood by describing the course of fluid into and out of the cylinder 30.

When'the valve 38 is disposed as shown in the drawings, pressure fluid may be admitted through conduit 37 from the chamber 41, below the cylinder 30, by pressing upon a button 14, shown in Figs. 4 and 5 which button is mounted upon a valve stem 43 which carries upon its rear extremity a valve 44. The axis of this valve stem is the same as that of the valve 38 and the latter contains a chamber 45 in therear end thereof in which rides an auxiliary valve 46, also mounted upon the stem 43.

l/Vhen the valve 44 is lifted, the compressed air enters chamber 45 and passes up through a port 47 in valve 38 and through the port 39 with which port 47 is at such time in alinement.

vPort 39 opens into the lower end of the cylinder 30 and the incoming Vpressure fluid raises the piston 29 to the upper end of its path of travel. rlhe air above the piston cannot be expelled through the passage 35 since there is no communication possible between the chamber 45 in valve 38 and the conduit 35 at such time. The air can escape, however, from the cylinder 30 through the port 36, which is, as will be noted upon inspection of Fig. 4, diagonally opposite port 39. Port 36, however, opens into the chamber 45 upon the other side of the valve or partition 46, since it is in the same plane (VIII) as port 40, as shown in Fig. 4, and since port 40 is in front of the valve 46, as shown in Fig. 7.

The air entering the front end of chamber 45 from the upper end of the cylinder the-n escapes via a conduit 48 and past a check valve 49. This latter is a spring pressed valve of known construction and may either have its stem flattened upon one side to permit of the escape of air or a vent 49 may be provided in the casing through which the outgoing air may escape to the atmosphere.

As soon as button 14 is released the pressure of the compressed air from conduit 37 will move the valve 44 to its closed position and thereupon the compressed air trapped below piston 29 will slowly escape. So long as button 14 occupies its innermost position, valve 46 will cover a port 50 in the valve 38 so that no air can escape through this port into the conduit 51 with which it is in communication. Y

When, however, the valve stem 43 is driven outwardly, port 50 is uncovered and the air below the piston escapes through conduit 39, p ort 47, chamber 45, port 50 and conduit 51 to the short passage` 52, shown in Figs. 7 7 and 9. A timing valve 53, disposed below the check valve 49, controls the escape of air from conduit 52 through an aperture 54 to the atmosphere.

At the same time that the air is thus slowly escaping from below the piston, the admission of air into the upper end of the cylinder 30 is correspondingly controlled, since the check valve 48 is not permitted to seat itself completely and thus provision is made for the very slow admission of air past this valve and through conduit 48, the front end of chamber 45, port 36', and passage 36 into the cylinder 30.

In devices of lthis character where a valve mechanism or the like is to be actuated after the lapse of a given interval of time following a determined operation, it frequently becomes necessary, when the line of transit tubing is a long one, to extend the time period to three, four or five minutes, or even longer.

When the escape of air from below a piston, for example, through a restricted opening, is depended upon to secure the requisite time period, it is usually necessary to provide a piston or 'the like havinga long stroke or a great area, or both. This involves cumbersome apparatus, which is particularly 0bjectionable in stores, where such apparatus is used; and the above described construction, restricting as it does, not only the escape of air from below a movable partition, but further restricting the inflow of air above said partition affords a means whereby the descent of a piston, or the equivalent thereof, may be made exceedingly slow; insuring with relatively small bulk of apparatus, a time period of long duration.

The function of the valve 38 and of the conduits 35 and 40 will be hereinafter set forth; but the effect of the upward movement of the piston 29 on the valves 15 and 16 may now be considered. As the piston ascends it lifts the yoke 27 which is secured to the lower end of the piston rod 28, and the roller 26 is thereby brought into engagement with the surface 27. The chamber 41 is filled with compressed air which tends to hold the valve 15 firmly against its seat and hence the pin 21 cannot at first move toward the left as viewed in Fig. 3, which it of course tends to do when the roller 26 is driven upwardly. The pin 23, vattached to the valve 16 may, however, be swung toward ythe right as the toggle consisting of the links 19 and 2O is straightened out. This swings valve 16 over to its closedV position which it attains before the pins 24, 22 and 21 are moved into alinement.

As soon as valve 16 is firmly seated pin 23 can no longer be driven toward the right and as the toggle has by this time been moved to a position in which it can exert considerable force against pin 21, tending to move it toward the left, valve 15 is opened against the action of the compressed air in chamber 41.

Piston 29 has by this time reached almost its upper limit of travel, but it is caused to move a sufficient amount farther to insure the emplacement of the pin 22 a short distance above the line joining the centers of pins 21 and 23, so that valve 15 tends to remain open, the spring 55 upon the pin 24 tending to hold the valve 16 away from its seat but being opposed by the pressure of the compressed air being delivered to the transit tube, and the spring 18 tending to move the valve 15 toward its seat.

r1`he compressed air is now free to escape from the supply pipe 12, through chamber 41, past valve 15, into the chamber containing the toggle elements and valve 16, and thence down through the despatch tube 1.

1t will be understood of course that before the button 14 was pressed in the manner above described, to effect the closure of valve 16 and opening of valve 15` a carrier would normally be inserted into the tube 1 at, let us say, the upper station, for despatch toward the lower station shown in Fig. 1, and a guide 56 for directing carriers into tube 1 is mounted upon the outer face of the valve 16. The contour of this guide is best shown in Figs. 3 and 6.

rihe carrier having been despatched and the button 14 having been released, the piston 29 times down, lowering the yoke 27. F or some time this downward movement of the voke does not affect the toggle owing to the length of the slot in the yoke, but after the lapse of a determined interval of time the surface 27 at the upper end of the yoke engages the upper side of the roller 26 and thereby moves pin 22 downwardly to break the toggle. rThereupon the valve 15 immediately is closed by its spring 18; valve 16, however', remaining closed by reason of the pressure of the air in the transit tube back of the carrier. This air acts expansively and when the carrier emerges at the terminal toward which it has been sent, the pressure in tube 1 is restored to atmospheric pressure, permitting the light spring 55, aided by the weight of valve 16, to swing said valve to its open position; the piston 29 in the meantime having completed its downward stroke so that the apparatus is ready for the despatch of a second carrier.

1n order to limit the upward movement of the toggle elements beyond their dotted line positions shown in Fig. 3, a pin 57 is driven through openings provided therefor in two bosses 58 which extend inwardly from the inner walls of the casing, as best shown in Fig. 6. These bosses are elongated as shown by dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3 and a second set of holes is provided for the reception of said pin 57 a't a lower position (Fig. 3) designated 57 the purpose of which will be indicated hereinafter.

lVhether, however, the pin 57 be in its 'upper or lower position it is adapted to serve as a guide for one side of the yoke 27 to prevent the latter from turning or swiveling. Rubber bumpers 58 are preferably attached to the lug 58 as shown in Figs. 2 and 6, and these bumpers serve to limit the inward movement of the valve 16.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 2 wherein the same construction as is shown in Fig. 3 is portrayed, except that the terminal has been turned upside down, it will be evident that the natural tendency in this case will be for the piston to move toward the end of its cylinder from which extends the rod 28. This necessitates a re-disposition of the toggle, so that the roller 26 will now be lifted by the surface 27 toward the position in which it sets the toggle. To permit of this action the pin 57 must be withdrawn from its first described position and must be re-inserted into the apparatus at the point designated 57 where it again serves to limit the upward movement of the toggle elements. Then, in order to in troduce the pressure fluid into the cylinder at the end thereof which is now the lower end, but which was formerly the upper end, as described in connection with Fig. 3, the valve 38 is turned clockwise as viewed in Fig. 9, to establish the following connections.

When the button 14 is driven inwardly, the valve stem 43 controlled thereby opens its valve 44 and admits pressure fluid from the chamber 4l through channel 37, chamber 45, port 47, and conduit 35, with which such port is now in registration, into the chamber below the piston.

This raises the piston and sets the toggle, while the air upon the opposite side of the piston escapes through conduit 40 and port 59, shown in Fig. 8, which has at such time been registered with conduit 40, chamber 45, to the rear of the valve 46, and out through the conduit 51, past valve 49, in the manner above described. Port 39 has now no communication with the conduit 51 while conduit 36 has correspondingly no communication with the conduit 48. Upon the closure of valve 44, however, the air trapped beneath the piston may, in the present case, escape back through conduit 35, port 47, chamber 45, conduits 51 and 52 and past the timing valve 53 to the atmosphere, substantially as in the preceding case.

In general therefore, when valve 38 is in the position in which it is shown in Figs.Y

8 and 9, the port 47 thereof by reason of its registration with conduit 39 permits of the admission of air to the side of the piston upon which is disposed the toggle, while air is exhausted from the opposite side of the piston through the conduit 36 and port 36 of the valve to the conduit 51; whereas, when this valve is rotated clockwise through 90 degrees its port 47 is caused to register with conduit 35 to admit air to the other side of the piston, its port 36 is brought into registration with the conduit 51 and the hitherto idle port 59 is moved opposite the conduit 40. Y

The port 50 which, when the valve 38 is disposed, as shown in Figs. 7 and 9, permits of exhaust from chamber 45 through conduit 51 is, however, moved out of alinement with said conduit 51 when the valve is thus turned to set the parts of the terminal for use in its upside down position, and it is necessaryI to provide a second port 50 in the same transverse plane as the port 50, but 90 degrees removed therefrom, in order to permit of the exhaust from chamber 45 past the timing valve, when valve 38 has been thus rotated clockwise.

'Whem therefore, it is desired to use the terminal in its upside down position, it is merely necessary to withdraw the pin 57, permitting the toggle elements to fall down into their new positions,`to re-insert this pin at 57 to limit the toggles upward movement, and to loosen the nut 60, best shown in Fig. 7, which holds the valve 38 in position; rotating this valve through 90 degrees in the manner described, and again setting up the nut 60' to fasten it in place.

Of course the chute 4 might be used in connection with the` terminal when it is thus reversed, but it is preferable to use a short chute 13, which may also serve as a support for the terminal as indicated in Figs. l and 2.

The function of the handle 34 may now be considered. If immediately after the despatch of a carrier through the tube in one or the other direction, it be desired to despatch a second carrier, before the first carrier emerges from the tube, the operator pushes the handle 34 down or up, as the case may be, which breaks the toggle and closes the valve 15 while unlocking the valve 16.

To facilitate this action, the timing valve 53 which controls the escape of air from one side of the piston, is provided with a relatively stiff spring 61, which permits the air to unseat said valve when a determined air pressure is attained.

However, this of itself would not be sufcient to enable the hand of the operator to 63 attached to said valve, will readily yield to permit of a free inrush of air through the port 51.

Finally, it should be noted that when the terminal is in its reverse position, in which it is shown at the lower station in Fig. 1, there is a possibility of a carrier dropping down into engagement with the inner side of the valve 16, when said valve is closed at this lower station; and to prevent this the said valve is provided with an arcuate horn 64, which is shown in both its full and dotted line positions in Fig. 3, and which when disposed in its dotted line position, is adapted to hold the carrier up in the tube 1 until the valve has been returned to its normal or open position. A

The operation of the device as a whole may now be very briefly described.

After a carrier has been inserted past the guide 56, at the upper station, shown in 1, the button 14 is pressed by the finger or thumb of the operator which admits air from the drum 9 via pipes 10 and 12 and chamber 41 to the piston 29 at said station,

i to raise the latter and to set its toggle. rlhe movement of the toggle parts, first effects a closure of valve 16, and thereafter an opening of valve 15, in the manner above described, whereby to introduce the pressure fluid into the tube 1 back of the carrier. By reason of the closure of the valve 16 before the opening of valve 15 no loss of compressed air occurs.

The piston 29 then times down until it breaks the toggle, whereupon the valve 15 closes, and normally only after the carrier has emerged at the lower station, does the spring 55 open valve 16 at the upper station, thereby effecting a still further saving of air.

The terminal at the lower station is practically identical with that of the upper station save that the pin 57 is disposed in its position designated 57', the toggle being reversed while the valve 38 is rotated into the position which it should occupy when the terminal delivers downwardly, and a small spring 70, hereafter referred to as being also preferably used in connection with this reversed terminal, is emplaced therein if it be not already in place.

To despatch a carrier from the lower station, assuming that no carrier is in course of transit toward said station, the carrier to be despatched is inserted upwardly into the tube 1, to the position in which it is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and in which position it is held Vby the said flat spring 70. The button 14 is pushed to close the valve 16 and open valve 15 at this lower station.

Compressed air from the drum 9 and pipeV 10 flows through pipe 11 to the chamber 41 and -past valve 15 to propel theV carrier 2 openingthrough which carriers are inserted,

through the tube 1, past the guide 56 at the upper stationand around chute 4 into the basket 5 in a known manner. Should an operator at the lower station attempt to despatch a carrier up therefrom while the tube is transmitting a carrier or carriers from the upper station toward said lower station the outrush of air at the lower terminal, will afford sufficient indication of this condition, and the operator will of course await the cessation of the air current before attempting to despatch his carrier.

Parts of the apparatus .such as the part 71 which permits of access to the toggle mechanism, plug 72 which permits of the removal of the valve 38 and plugs such as that designated 73 in Fig. 7, for closing the ends of drilling holes, need not be herein further discussed as their purpose will'be at once apparent to any skilled mechanic.

In conclusion 1 particularly desire to emphasize the importance from a practical standpoint of thus providing a terminal of the character in question which may be used either as an up-send or down-send terminal, there being no necessity for carrying parts in stock for use in connection with one terminal, which are not used in connection with the other, save the small fiat spring 7 O and its attaching screws or the like.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is 1. A pneumatic carrier despatch system, comprising a transit tube having a terminal opening through which carriers are inserted, a conduit through which compressed air is supplied to said tube for transmitting said carriers, a valve for controlling the flow of air from said conduit, a second valve for closing said terminal opening, pneumatic means for closing the second ofsaid valves before the first is opened and thereafter automatically opening said first valve, said means including provisions for timing the closure of said first valve to prevent the closure thereof before the lapse of a period of time determined by said provisions.

2. A pneumatic carrier despatch system, comprising a transit tube having a terminal opening through which carriers are inserted, a conduit through which compressed air is supplied to said tube for transmitting said carriers, a valve for controlling the flow of air from said conduit, a second valve for closing said terminal opening, a toggle connection between said valves, a pneumatically operated device for actuating said toggle connection, said connection being adapted to close the second of said valves and then to open the first of said valves, and means to co-aot with said connection to lock said valves in the said positions into which they are moved by said toggle connection.

l3. A pneumatic carrier despatch system, comprising a transit tube having a terminal a conduit through which 'compressed air is supplied to said tube for transmitting said carriers, a valve for controlling the flow of air from said conduit, a second valve for closing said terminal opening, a toggle connection between said valves, and means to control said toggle connection, to close the second of said valves and thereafter open that first mentioned.

4. A pneumatic carrier despatch system, comprising a transit tube having a terminal opening through which carriers are inserted, a conduit through which compressed air is supplied to said tube for transmitting said carriers, a valve for controlling the flow of air from said conduit, a second valve for closing said terminal opening, a toggle connection between said valves, and means to control said toggle connection, whereby to open the second and close the first of said valves and thereafter to automatically ref open said second valve, said controlling means including a timing device to deter-4 mine the period at the end of which said second valve is opened.

5. A pneumatic carrier despatch system, comprising a transit tube having a terminal opening through which carriers are inserted, a conduit through which compressed air is supplied to said tube for transmitting said carriers, a valve for controlling the flow of air from said conduit, a second valve for closing said terminal opening, a toggle connection between said valves, and means to control said toggle connection whereby to open the first and close the second of said valves, said toggle connection being adapted to lock said valves respectively open and closed.

6. A pneumatic carrier despatch system, comprising a transit tube having a terminal opening through which carriers are inserted, a conduit through which compressed air is supplied to said tube for transmitting said carriers, a valve for controlling the flow of air from said conduit, a second valve for closing said terminal opening, a toggle connection between said valves, and means to control said toggle connection whereby to open the first and close the second of said valves, Said toggle connection being adapted to lock said valves respectively open and closed, and means to control said' connections including a part adapted to automati-l cally break the toggle and unlock said Valves,

7 A pneumatic carrier despatch system comprising a transit tube and a despatching terminal therefor having therein two valVeS, said terminal having also a connection he: tween said valves which when actuated in one direction closes first. one and thereafter Opens the other of said valves, and time element mechanism for first moving said con-v nection in said one direction and thereafter automatically reversely actuating said @0.11.-

nection to close said opened valve after the lapse of a period of timeV determined by Said mechanism.

8. A pneumatic carrier despatch system comprising a transit tube and a despatching terminal therefor having therein two valves, said terminal having also a connection between said valves which when actuated in one direction closes iirst one and thereafter opens the other of said valves, and time ele- 1 opens the other of said valves, and fluid pressure time element mechanism for first moving said connection in said one direction and thereafter automatically reversely actuating said connection to close said opened valve after the lapse of a period of time determined by said mechanism, said terminal having adjustments for controlling the direction of flow of the pressure fluid which actuates said mechanism, in accordance with the disposition of said terminal with respect to said tube.

l0. A pneumatic carrier despatch system comprising a transit tube and a despatching terminal therefor having an opening through which a carrier may be inserted, a valve for said opening, a connection for supplying compressed air to said tube, a second valve for controlling the admission of said air to said tube, and mechanism for controlling said valves, said mechanism including a timing device for limiting, by a closure of said second valve, the How of com- Ill@ pressed air from said connection to a period n of time determined by said device, said mechanism thereafter permitting Said first valve to be held closed by the expanding compressed air trapped in Said tube until the carrier being despatched has emerged from Said tube.

ll. A pneumatic carrier despatch system and thereafter automatically reversely actuating said connection, said mechanism including a chamber having therein a movable partition and having, further, means for timing the movement of said partition in one direction.

12. A pneumatic carrier despatch system c-omprising a transit tube adapted for the transmission of carriers in either direction therethrough, and a despatching terminal for said tube having two valves, said terminal also having a linked connection between said valves whereby one may be opened and the other closed when said connection is moved in one direction, fluid pressure actuated mechanism for first moving said connection in said one direction and thereafter automatically reversely actuating said connection, said mechanism including a. chamber having therein a movable partition and having, further, means for timing the movement of said partition in one direction, and means for controlling the admission of pressure fluid to said chamber and the emergence thereof from one or the other sides of said partition in accordance with the dispositionof said terminal with respect to said tube.

13. A pneumatic carrier despatch system comprising a transit tube and a despatching terminal therefor having two valves, said terminal having also a toggle connection between said valves adapted for either one of two positions which said connection may occupy, in accordance with the disposition of said terminal with respect to said tube, a cylinder, a piston therein, means for actuating said connection between said valves by movements of said piston, means to adjust said toggle connection in accordance with the disposition of said terminal, and means to control the flow of pressure fluid into and out of said cylinder in accordance with the disposition of said terminal with respect to said tube.

1e. A pneumatic carrier despatch system comprising, a transit tube and a despatching terminal therefor having a normally open valve past which carriers may be inserted into said tube, a connection for supplying pressure fluid to said terminal, a normally closed valve for controlling the flow of air from said connection to said tube, a toggle connection between said valves, means to actuate said toggle connection to close said normally open valve and open said normally closed valve, means to co-act with said toggle connection to lock said valves in said positions, and manually controlled means whereby the toggle may be broken to release said valves.

15. A pneumatic carrier despatch system comprising atransit tube and a despatching terminal therefor having a normally open valve past which carriers may be inserted into said tube, a connection for supplying pressure fluid to said terminal, a normally closed valve for controlling the flow of air from said connection t-o said tube, a toggle connection between said valves, means to actuate said toggle connection to close said normally open valve and open said normally closed valve, mean: to co-act with said toggle connection to lock said valves in said positions, and manually operated means for breaking the toggle to release said valves, said toggle connection actuating means including time element provisions for automatically breaking said toggle after the lapse of a period of time determined by said provisions if said toggle has not previously been broken.

16. In a despatching terminal for a pneumatic carrier despatch system, the combination of two valves, means for normally supplying pressure fluid to one side of one of said valves whereby to hold said valve firmly closed, the second of said valves being normally open, connections between said valves, and means for actuating said connections, whereby the pressure upon said normally closed valve enables said connections to close said normally open valve, said connections being thereafter adapted to force open said normally closed valve against the pressure of said pressure fluid by means of the resistance to further movement offered by said normally open valve after it has been moved to its closed position.

17. ln a despatching terminal for a pneumatic carrier despatch system, the combination of two valves, means for normally supplying pressure fluid to one side of one of said valves whereby to hold said valve firmly closed, the second of said valves being normally open, connections between said valves and means for actuating said connections, whereby the pressure upon said normally closed valve enables said connections to close said normally open valve, and to force open said normally closed valve against the pressure of said fluid by means of the resistance to further movement offered by said normally opened valve after it has been moved t-o its closed position, said connections being thereafter adapted to maintain said normally closed valve in its open position until said actuating means for said connection has been reversely actuated a determined distance, said connection actuating means having provisions for impeding such movement of the same.

18. A pneumatic carrier despatch system comprising a transit tube, `a despatching terminal therefor adapted to despatch a carrier upwardly through said tube, a connection for supplying compressed air to said tube to propel said carrier, means for controlling the flow of compressed air from said connection, and normally operative means to automatically retain said carrier in place up in said terminal preparatory to its despatch through said tube following the actuation of said compressed air controlling means.

19. A pneumatic carrier despatch system comprising a transit tube and a despatching terminal therefor having two valves, said terminal having also a connection between said valves which when actuated in one direction closes one and opens the other of said valves, and time element mechanism for first automatically moving said connection in said one direction and thereafter automatically reversely actuating said connection to close said opened valve after the lapse of a period of time determined by said mechanism, said terminal having adjustments for adapting it to either an up-send or down-send transit tube.

20. A pneumatic carrier despatch system comprising a transit tube and a despatching terminal therefor having two valves and a connection between said valves which when actuated in one direction closes one and opens the other of said valves, and fluid pressure time element mechanism for first moving the said connection in said one direction and thereafter automatically reversely actuating said connection to close said opened valve after the lapse of a period of time determined by said mechanism, said terminal having adjustments for controlling the direction of flow of the pressure fluid which actuates said mechanism, in accordance with the disposition of said terminal with respect to said tube.

21. A pneumatic carrier despatch system comprising a transit tube and a despatching terminal therefor having a normally open valve past which carriers may be inserted into said tube, a connection for supplying pressure fluid to said terminal, a normally closed valve for controlling the flow of air from said connection to said tube, a toggle connection between said valves, means to actuate said toggle connection to close said normally open valve and open said normally closed valve, means to co-act with said toggle connection to lock said valves in said positions by holding the toggle with the pivotal axes thereof substantially in alinement, and means for breaking the toggle to release at least one of said valves.

22. In a pneumatic carrier despatch system, a transit tube and means for controlling the flow of air therethrough comprising in combination two valves, means for normally supplying pressure fluid to one side of one of said valves whereby to hold said last mentioned valve rmly closed, the other of said valves being normally open, connections between said valves, and means for actuating said connections, whereby the pressure upon said normally closed valve enables said connections to close said normally open valve, said connections being thereafter adapted to force open said normally closed valve by means of the resistance to further movement oiered by said normally open valve after it has been moved to its closed position.

23. In a neumatic carrier despatch system a transit tube, a terminal therefor having a valve to control communication between said tube and the outer air, and a carrier guide mounted angularly upon said valve, for movement therewith, said guide being normally to one side of the path of a carrier moving longitudinally of said tube, in a determined direction, and guiding the so moving' carrier when the latter passes said guide.

In testimony whereof I have aiiixed my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

WALTER BIXBY.

Witnesses:

M. K. PoR'rER, CHARLES O. LAURIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. Y 

